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I did a long distance drive about ten years ago via the I-40, and decided to check out the Canyon so long as I was passing by.
I switched to State Route 64, which took me directly to Grand Canyon National Park Airport (GCN), near the South Rim. There are 2 or 3 companies there selling helicopter flights over the canyon.
There are no special documents or ...

Yes, there are many different helicopter tours of the Grand Canyon. Most are out of Las Vegas. You can estimate the cost to be $300 USD or more per person.
Here's a sample of the view when flying to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas:
As a bonus, you also get to see the Hoover Dam and the Strip from a different angle.

Having recently hiked rim to river and back, I can tell you that hiking in the Canyon has been one of the most transformative events of my life. It's beauty is beyond words.
The most important thing to remember is don't be this guy. Take your time, and enjoy the beauty.
Staying there, getting there.
Ideally, you would spend the night as near to the ...

I would venture a guess that dropping a car off at the North Rim will be impossible, since there's virtually nothing there, certainly no rental agencies that I'm aware of -- how would you get there without a car in the first place?
Some alternatives, neither of them cheap:
Take a direct bus from Las Vegas to the South Rim ($99/person, you may find cheaper ...

I was in the 'neighbourhood' of it last year. It's run by the Hualapai Nation, and still runs as normal.
9 miles of the 21 'country road' miles are unpaved. They say it's 2.5 hours from Las Vegas. I'd say it's more like 3.5 hours (and got that confirmed in Peach Springs), and if you want to do it on your way to/from the Grand Canyon, count on another 3.5 ...

If you know where you're going and you don't want a guide you're under no obligation to take one.
You can look at Tripadvisor thread regarding the same topic and also on the National Park Service Site for maps and other information regarding the Grand Canyon National Park.

Frommers lists that Bright Angel and North Kaibab trails are 'the canyon's smoothest' trails - but as you can see on my picture with a section of the Bright Angel trail, it's not really wheelchair accessible, and probably quite strenuous on crutches. Picture was taken in 2006, so it might look different today.
Another option would be a mule trip, which ...

As you've probably already discovered, the normal place to visit the Grand Canyon when coming from Las Vegas is the "South Rim", which is about 4 1/2 hours drive (each way!) from Vegas.
Although the Grand Canyon (and the Grand Canyon National Park) does extend almost 100 miles further west of the "South Rim", there are no suitable roads that allow access to ...

There are many helicopter and other air tour operators in the area:
South Canyon
Grand Canyon Tour
List of various Grand Canyon Tours
Papillon Tours
Grand Canyon Helicopters
I could go on but I think this will do for now.
AMENDED
I would suggest talking about a tour like this when you get a to a hotel in LV. Reason being is that tour operators may be ...

Wikitravel's Grand Canyon page mentions two companies:
Airplane and helicopter tours are offered by providers outside of the south rim in Tusayan at the Grand Canyon Airport, and also from Las Vegas. Scenic flights are no longer allowed to fly below the rim within the national park. However, some helicopter flights land on the Havasupai and Hualapai Indian ...

Pretty fit! The US National Park Service (NPS) doesn't recommend rim-to-river-rim as a day hike, for instance.
My father did several rim-to-rim trips in a day when in his 40s, but he was an avid runner (but not a marathoner), hiked, and had a job that had him outside part of the time. He would usually fly or have my mom drop him off at one rim, and we ...

There does appear to be an issue with renting hotel rooms if you are 18-21. Hotels are allowed discretion, so you can get turned away and have no recourse. However this page indicates some alternate ways of getting accommodation. Some hotels will be OK, and Youth Hostels and Bed and Breakfasts are more likely to be accepting. It's best to phone in advance to ...

Given I've heard of snow on the ground there in April, it could be very cold.
However, I'll describe what we did, and you can adapt it based on the conditions when you arrive.
First thing was to enter the park (driving) before sunrise. This gave us a chance to park, get our gear together, and race down to Mather Point for a spectacular view of sunrise. ...

It's been a long time since I did Havasu falls but I can at least answer #3--no guides needed. The trail is obvious. Note that there is a 2,500' elevation change on the hike, this isn't a walk in the park!
Beware that considerable advance booking is required as there are limited accommodations. Doing it as a day trip isn't viable for most people.
The ...

You don't need a guide. But if you camp out within the National Park then you need a backcountry permit. (See the national park page on backcountry permits) Also be aware of the warnings about hiking in the Grand Canyon -- people do get (literally) lost and the conditions can be harsh.

It's not hard to identify flights which may fly over the Grand Canyon— but finding out which ones definitely will, and whether or not you will have a view if you take one, are a different story.
With some trial and error, you can find flights that pass over the area on any of the websites that offer flight tracking, like FlightAware.com. Grand Canyon ...

It sounds like what you are looking for is a field guide to the Grand Canyon;
Field guide - a book designed to help the reader identify wildlife
(plants or animals) or other objects of natural occurrence (e.g.
minerals). It is generally designed to be brought into the 'field' or
local area where such objects exist to help distinguish between
...

I was there in August. There were strict instructions for people NOT to try and hike down to the river unless incredibly fit, hydrated and well prepared (Even then, it wasn't recommended).
We walked around the rim trails, and that was pretty hot, and then descended down the Bright Angel trail to the first water hut (1 hour?). That itself was tiring in the ...

I would avoid the coast. My experience is in California, where there is a well-known pattern of heavy fog and clouds near the coast in May and June (they call it "May gray" and "June gloom"). I don't know for sure, but I would expect similar conditions further north as well. However, often one can find clear skies just a few miles inland.
Deserts are ...

According to the Grand Canyon Site it's a great day trip from the Canyon by car.
Several other sites also refer to accessing the Crater by car.
Getting there:
Car - Is 5.5 hours fair Based on ending next to the Crater instead of Winslow I'd say it's more then fair. Of course you could change where you start your trek to the Crater which will cut your ...

I had a quick look at the "Grand Canyon Tour" website mentioned above, and it says the tour is going to the West Rim. I'm pretty sure the scenery is similar, but the usual Grand Canyon pictures you see in books and in posters are taken from the South Rim, near Grand Canyon Village - and that is ~150miles away from Las Vegas.
Just saying this because ...

Do you plan to have a "base" somewhere in Arizona and start exploring from there, or are you on a trip and want to pass those places?
I was stuck with a broken car in Arizona last year and a rather small town, and learned that they cancelled all bus routes to smaller towns in that area a few years ago. Even if the town was half way between Tucson on Phoenix ...

For reference from another 40-something: my husband and I just got back from a 3-day Grand Canyon hike. We went to Bright Angel Campground at the bottom near the river from the South Kaibab trail in about 8 hours, stayed one night, went up to the Indian Garden campground the next day in about 5 hours, stayed one night, and then out where you end up at the ...

Worst idea, I'd say. I made the same mistake - thought I would be able to do it. I went to Grand Canyon in August as well. To say it was scorching hot, would be an understatement. I wasn't just burnt. I melted.
But for all you know, it won't be that hot this summer? Spring is the best time to go there, apparently.

Flagstaff is no longer a small town. The metro area has an estimated population of over 135,000.
I suggest looking at the Grand Canyon web site and making a reservation for lodging, either in the park or outside. This includes camping. As far as activities, you may a get a beautiful clear winter day. And you may not.
You are probably aware that all tourist ...

I would say it's probably pretty cold, expect snow (it's high there). Taking a look at the weather channel, I can see the temperature these days is in the 40s (0-10°C) during the day. Maybe the mist can be more of a problem, you can check the day before if you are flexible on your dates. Also check the road conditions (there are currently alerts on the ...

A few years ago I stayed the night at Tusayan, about 5-10 miles south of the South Rim of the canyon. There are several standard motel chains and a few restaurants there. I then got up early to drive up to Grand Canyon Village. I can't say if that's the best view, but you can see the photo I captured here and judge for yourself. I can certainly say that it ...

I have only been to Sedona a few times but Slide Rock and Hiking are the only two suggestions I have.
If you like cliff jumping or swimming Slide Rock is a great place to start.
http://azstateparks.com/Parks/SLRO/index.html
Also, there is a ton of hiking and things to see. There are several great references through a google search. Unfortunately I always ...

There is a pretty active bus system in the US that has a lot of destinations and is relatively cheap. So if you're trying to go between cities, that's probably the best way to get around. Greyhound is one, as someone mentioned. There is also Megabus and Bolt Bus, though I don't know if either of those operate as far west as CA. There might be others out in ...